WhatsApp was the brain child of Brian Acton and Jan Koum who met whilst working at Yahoo! in 1997. The two college graduates became friends and in 2009 they decided they wanted a piece of the booming tech scene, launching WhatsApp which they had designed for use on Apple’s iPhone.
The product was initially designed to track users’ work statuses and to show availability during working hours. However it soon developed into a messaging platform. The platform secured $250,000 in seed funding and proceeded to be available for both Blackberry and Android. Initially created as a payed for product it switched to a free model as its popularity increased.
WhatsApp continued to grow in popularity largely due to the fact it was able to communicate across different types of devices, such as Android to Apple as well as internationally. Facebook acquired the company in 2014 for $19 billion. It is now one of the biggest communication platforms in the world.
Social media is widely used across the world. In fact it’s estimated that there are an incredible 4.9 billion people across the world who are users. This number is expected to grow to 5.85 billion by 2027. The average user uses between six and seven platforms each month. Facebook is the most popular platform with 2.9 billion users a month whilst YouTube has 2.5 billion users. Social media has become a part of our day to day lives with the average person spending a significant 145 minutes a day on social media.
Social media platforms have evolved from being simply ways to socialise and interact with peers and friends online. They are now interactive digital channels that incorporate the sharing of ideas, media and other information. The content on these sites can include texts, images, GIFs and videos.
It’s evident that social media has revolutionised everything from how we connect and socialise, receive news, through to how we shop. Platforms encompass everything from sharing content to viewing videos. But there are differences between messaging vs social media platforms.
So, what exactly defines social media and is WhatsApp a social media platform?
The varied nature of these platforms shows that social media has evolved from “scalable sociality” and is now a space for diverse activities which also incorporate a social aspect. The definition of what constitutes social media is constantly evolving but these categorisations illustrate the common characteristics typical amongst all platforms: connection, sharing of media, influencing and peer related review.
WhatsApp is the most commonly used messaging app in the UK. In fact 76% of adults have used it in the last three months and two thirds of UK adults (65%) use it as their main form of online communication. This is a significantly higher proportion than other platforms. Messenger is the second most used (18%) with iMessage the third most popular (6%).
Globally WhatsApp has 2 billion active users on a monthly basis. In some parts of the world it holds a hugely significant monopoly. For example, in Nigeria 95.1% of the digital population are monthly users, in South African 93.9% and in Brazil 93.4% of internet users engage with WhatsApp.
WhatsApp is clearly a dominant force in the messaging market. But it also has a number of features that are similar to a social media platform.
As WhatsApp has continued to grow and change it has developed a number of features that mirror those of a social network.
There are a number of ways that businesses can successfully use WhatsApp’s marketing features.
Businesses can use WhatsApp for SMS marketing messages but without the cost that some messaging platforms entail. Messages can be used to send promotions, shipping updates and other news to customers.
The introduction of WhatsApp’s chatbot feature means that businesses can use automated conversation to deal with customer enquiries easily and effectively, on a platform that customers are comfortable with and that they trust.
WhatsApp Business has a catalogue feature that allows users to browse products and services without leaving the app. Businesses can use this to showcase new or seasonal products and bestsellers that may be of interest to users. Businesses can include photos, descriptions and links to products for purchase.
WhatsApp Business is also useful in the workplace amongst colleagues. In fact more than 50% of workers use WhatsApp for professional and work related communications. WhatsApp’s group chat feature means that is an easy way to send work related files or updates easily to large groups of colleagues.
It’s evident that WhatsApp occupies a unique position in the social media and digital landscape. It is enormously popular as a messaging platform, with significant day to day use and monopoly on how we all communicate in our personal lives. But it also possesses features that make it much more than that. By tapping into features typically found on social media sites it has been able to straddle the two industries, allowing users to elevate their communication and build relationships and communities above and beyond one on one messaging interactions. The fact that it is so widely adopted as a messaging platform first and foremost means that as features have evolved users have happily transitioned into using it for social media type interactions.
The introduction of WhatsApp Business has further increased its social media status. It is now becoming an important marketing and sales tool for businesses and brands. WhatsApp’s unique position makes it an important consideration for brands’ marketing strategies moving forward.
By establishing themselves as a trusted and accessible messaging and communication platform, WhatsApp has laid the groundwork to be an important player in wider social media communication, brand influence and social networks in 2025. As we move into the new year brands need to focus on how to make WhatsApp work for them.
There are a number of new forthcoming features that mark a significant shift for WhatsApp. It was recently announced that WhatsApp will be offering users an ability to message other messaging platforms, such as Telegram and Signal. Messaging will be available in 2025 and it is hoped that video and voice calls to these platforms will be possible by 2027. This is a feature that has never been possible on any messaging platform before. It is also predicted that 2025 will see WhatsApp’s Newsletter feature continuing to rise in popularity. It’s estimated that newsletters sent via WhatsApp have a 98% open rate whilst email is only 22%.
So, as we move into 2025 it is evident that WhatsApp has moved far beyond its initial status as a messaging app. It is a powerful, global communication tool that incorporates many of the attributes of social media that so many of us rely on and love. But it is also innovating as a marketing and e-commerce platform. Communication is a critical part of any marketing strategy, so it makes complete sense for brands to embrace the marketing tools now provided by one of the world’s most powerful and used communication methods.
